The First Working Meeting Between Representatives of Professional Football Club NYCFC and Serbian Football Clubs from New York and New Jersey Held at the Consulate General

The purpose of the meeting was to familiarize representatives of Serbian clubs with the organization and operations of one of the most significant professional football clubs in the United States, as well as to establish closer cooperation, exchange experiences, and consider opportunities for implementing joint projects aimed at developing youth football, strengthening cooperation with local communities, and advancing the Serbian sports community.

Opening the meeting, the Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Dr. Vladimir Božović, welcomed all attendees and recalled the glorious chapters of Serbian football history, particularly highlighting the success of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia national team, which reached the semifinals at the first FIFA World Cup in Montevideo in 1930, thereby leaving an indelible mark in the history of world football. He also recalled numerous successes of Serbian football in the decades that followed.

The Consul General emphasized that Serbia, although small in territory and population, is a country of great people and exceptional athletes who have been achieving top-level results on the world stage for decades. He stressed that sport represents one of the best ways to connect people and communities, promote healthy values, and strengthen friendships, and that Serbian athletes, through their achievements, serve as the best ambassadors of Serbia worldwide.

In addition to representatives of New York City Football Club, the meeting was attended by Bogdan Tešović, Adam Gajta, and the legendary Serbian football player and football manager Aleksandar “Saša” Ćurčić, as representatives of the football club NY Serbia, founded in 1992 in New York, which for more than three decades has represented one of the most significant Serbian sports organizations in the city.

Representing the White Eagles football club from Paterson were Velibor Uzelac, coach and club manager, and Archpriest-Stavrophor Đokan Majstorović, the head priest of the Church of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, under which the club was founded in 1993. Today, the White Eagles represent one of the most important Serbian-American sports clubs in New Jersey and have played a significant role for more than three decades in bringing together the Serbian community and developing youth sports.

The legendary Serbian football player and football manager Aleksandar “Saša” Ćurčić welcomed the initiative and expressed full support for its further development, emphasizing his readiness to contribute his knowledge, extensive experience, and professional contacts to the implementation of joint projects and the strengthening of cooperation in the field of youth football.

During the discussion, possibilities for long-term cooperation were considered, with a special focus on connecting young people, developing football academies, and implementing joint programs that, in cooperation with local institutions, would encourage children and youth to engage in sports, develop team spirit, and adopt healthy lifestyle habits.

Representatives of NY Serbia informed those present about their efforts to regain access to their football field in New York, as well as to renew cooperation with the local community and administration in Ridgewood. Representatives of New York City Football Club expressed their readiness, within their capabilities, to assist in establishing contacts with relevant institutions and to support these initiatives.

At the end of the meeting, representatives of New York City Football Club extended an invitation to all participants to visit their stadium, training center, and Experience Room in order to become directly acquainted with the club’s organization, youth programs, operational model, and other activities.

The meeting took place in an exceptionally cordial and constructive atmosphere. On this occasion, appropriate gifts were exchanged as a sign of mutual respect and friendship, and all participants agreed that a new meeting will be organized in the near future to concretize the agreed activities and further develop cooperation.

By organizing this meeting, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York once again confirmed its commitment to connecting the Serbian community with relevant institutions and organizations in the United States, supporting initiatives that contribute to sports development, strengthening the community, and creating new opportunities for younger generations.